Improvement in car-couplings



Unrrnn Sra'rns Barrena' @Prion IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of' Letters Patent No. 116,663, dated July 4, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. BALL, of' Sinna-W tion, and to the letters and figures of' reference marked thereon.

Figure l of' the drawing is a pla-n view of my coupling. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a View of the coupling-link. Fig. i is aI longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coupling-pin.

This invention relates to improvements in carcouplings, vand it consists in a device that will operate in an automatic manner; the object being the production of a new draw-head having the improvements referred to, or the remodeling of old draw-heads to conform thereto.

Beferrin g to the dra-wing, a` represents a drawhead, which. may be attached to a car in a suitable manner. .b is a fixed pin, against which the link c rests as a stop. The hanger d is bevelshaped, as shown, to facilitate the ent lance of the link. The draw-head and link ha-ve holes, e and e', for the admission of' a pin to hold the link in place bef'ore and after the act of coupling. The link is of the peculiar form shown, having at its ends short proj ections,j' a-ud j and g and g', which serve as guards to facilitate the entrance of' the link into the draw-heads and to keep it in proper position. The link is slotted in the manner shown at h for the admission of the pin s and to allow of' the necessary play; and the under side ofthe draw-head is slotted also, as at e', f'or the reception of' the pins. l.: is a band that passes around the draw-head and slides on it, being open at the top and slotted at the bottom so as not to interfere with the pins. This band serves asw a guide for the link, and it is only nec essary when the common or old form of link is used.

In coupling cars the link is placed in position against the fixed pin b, and held there by a pin in the holes e and e and slot In the opposite draw-hea d is placed the pin m in the hole u and slot 1'. The cars, and consequently the drawheads, are brought together, the end of' the link strikes the pin fm, which, being free to move in the hole n and the slot r1', is pressed backward and upward, and the link passes under it until the end o f' the pin f'alls back in the slots L and '17, when the pin is again in its perpendicular Aposition, and the coupling is completed in an automatic manner, as aforesaid.

The pin 'm is of a peculiar form, having a large square head, which serves to raise up the pin as it is pressed backward, and having a groove on the front side under the head and a square portion below the groove, both of' which serve to keep the pin in position and to prevent its working up and out of' place. It also has an eye Jfor a chain, as at p, and a hole, s, f'or a fastening-pin.

Old draw-headsand links, or the kind now in common use, may be remodeled so as to conform to this improved coupling; or the old link may be used with this new or remodeled d aw-head, when the band 7; may be used to advantage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combina-tion of the draw-head c having square hole n, pin b, and slot i, with the link h having guards g and g' and j' f, of the pin m havmg its upper shank square and notched at the throat and provided with a square cam-head, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses G. H. ALLIs, JOHN RUBIsoN.

DAVID H. BALL. 

